A Firebase Analytics alternative in plain words
Apparent is analytics for iOS and Android apps that tells you how each app is doing in plain words. It puts App Store and Google Play downloads, RevenueCat sales and what people do in your app on one page, for all your apps at once. Google Analytics for Firebase is free and deeply tied into Google's tools, and its reports follow Google Analytics. If those reports feel like more than you need, Apparent says the same things in sentences.
The short version
Pick Apparent if
- You find Google Analytics reports hard to read and just want to know how your apps are doing
- You want App Store and Google Play downloads, reviews and RevenueCat money in the same place
- You want to see people using your app right now, not tomorrow
Pick Firebase Analytics if
- You use Firebase already, with Crashlytics, Remote Config and A/B Testing
- You run Google Ads and want conversions linked
- You want raw events in BigQuery, at no cost for analytics itself
Apparent and Firebase Analytics, side by side
| Topic | Apparent | Firebase Analytics |
|---|---|---|
| Made for | iOS and Android apps, and the people who make them | Apps built on Firebase and Google's tools |
| How you read it | A few sentences in plain words first, then the numbers behind them | Google Analytics reports and explorations |
| Downloads, ratings and reviews | Built in, from App Store Connect and Google Play | Not a focus; store numbers live in the stores' own consoles |
| Sales and subscriptions | Built in, from RevenueCat and the stores | In-app purchase events; Google Play can be linked |
| Several apps | All on one page, with one sentence for all of them | Several apps can share one property |
| What people do in the app | Opens, screens, actions, purchases and crashes, from Apparent's SDK | Yes, with some events collected automatically |
| Funnels, cohorts, retention | The journey from store to sale and who comes back, in plain words. No custom report builder | Yes, in explorations |
| Crashes | Crashes and errors the SDK catches, plus Google Play's crash count | Crashlytics, in depth |
| How fresh | Live for people in the app; store numbers as soon as Apple and Google send them | A realtime view; most reports fill in within a day or two |
| Setup | SDK for Expo and React Native, then connect your stores and RevenueCat | Firebase SDKs; React Native through the React Native Firebase library |
| Price | Free during the beta | Free |
| Availability | Private beta: join the waitlist | Available now |
Something out of date about Firebase Analytics? Tell us at hello@apparent.fyi and we'll fix it.
Where they overlap
Both record what people do in your app, show daily use and retention, and work for iOS and Android apps, including React Native.
Where Apparent is different
- It's made to be read, not explored: each app starts with a few sentences about how it did, and the numbers sit underneath.
- Downloads, ratings and reviews from App Store Connect and Google Play, and money from RevenueCat, sit next to what people do.
- It's live: you see how many people are using the app right now, and good news arrives as it happens.
- All your apps sit on one page, with one sentence for all of them together.
Where Firebase Analytics goes further
- It's free, part of Firebase, and works with Crashlytics, Remote Config, A/B Testing and Cloud Messaging.
- Google Ads linking and audiences for campaigns.
- Raw event export to BigQuery for your own analysis.
Using it next to Firebase
Keep Crashlytics or Remote Config if you like them. Add Apparent's SDK, connect your stores and RevenueCat, and read both side by side for a while.
Questions
Is Apparent a Firebase Analytics alternative?
For reading how your iOS and Android apps are doing, yes. Apparent shows downloads, sales and what people do in plain words. It doesn't replace Crashlytics, Remote Config or Google Ads linking.
Can I keep Firebase?
Yes. Apparent works next to Firebase; you can keep the parts you use.
Does Apparent work with Expo and React Native?
Yes. The SDK is made for Expo and React Native apps.
What does Apparent cost?
Nothing while it's in beta.